Review of River Kids
1 posts
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "River Kids" by Jennie Linnane.]
River Kids: Growing up after World War II is a partly fictional memoir written by Jennie Linnane. The book consists of fifty-two chapters that follow the Hughs family as they navigate life at the end of the second world war in Australia. The book is written from the point of view of Annie Hughs, the family's eldest daughter.
The book begins at Oyster Bay, a settlement in Australia, where the Hughs family have their home. The first two children of the Hughs family, Herb, and Annie, were born amid global conflict. Herb was born around the declaration of World War II, while Annie was born around the Pearl Harbor attacks. Over the years, the family was blessed with many more children. As Annie develops from a toddler to a teenager, we witness her go through life in a semi-urban setting, deal with bullying and friendly practical jokes, and experience great joy and deep grief, all under the watchful and loving eyes of Margo, her caring mother, and Jack, her down-to-earth and downright hilarious father. The book is truly an enjoyable, wholesome, and family-oriented literary gem.
There is a lot I love about this book. I like the language used. The author perfects the balancing act of using easy-to-follow language while utilizing a rather rich vocabulary. I learned a lot of new words like paroxysm, trellis, falsetto, astern, and equanimity. I also enjoyed the story, or stories, as most of the chapters told unique and engaging tales, which took me on an emotional rollercoaster. From Jack's hilarious man-child antics to the truly worrying events of the forty-ninth chapter to the heart-wrenching tragedies the family went through together, there was no dropping this book.
I also enjoyed the characters and their dynamic with each other. Annie and Jack share such a beautiful father-daughter bond, with both of them being incapable of being angry at each other for long, regardless of what happens. Margo's love for her family is truly admirable. It is on display in all her actions and words. I also appreciate the lessons the book passes. It brought to mind the importance of kindness, charity, and hard work. In essence, the book was truly lovely. It evoked feelings of nostalgia for my childhood which I enjoyed.
I found nothing to dislike in the book. I found no errors, as the book was exceptionally well edited. Therefore, I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. I found the book engaging and wholesome. I loved the characters and found their stories lovely. I was completely satisfied with the book, and as a result, I could not possibly rate it any lower. I recommend this book to lovers of fictional books detailing family life.
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River Kids
View: on Bookshelves
River Kids: Growing up after World War II is a partly fictional memoir written by Jennie Linnane. The book consists of fifty-two chapters that follow the Hughs family as they navigate life at the end of the second world war in Australia. The book is written from the point of view of Annie Hughs, the family's eldest daughter.
The book begins at Oyster Bay, a settlement in Australia, where the Hughs family have their home. The first two children of the Hughs family, Herb, and Annie, were born amid global conflict. Herb was born around the declaration of World War II, while Annie was born around the Pearl Harbor attacks. Over the years, the family was blessed with many more children. As Annie develops from a toddler to a teenager, we witness her go through life in a semi-urban setting, deal with bullying and friendly practical jokes, and experience great joy and deep grief, all under the watchful and loving eyes of Margo, her caring mother, and Jack, her down-to-earth and downright hilarious father. The book is truly an enjoyable, wholesome, and family-oriented literary gem.
There is a lot I love about this book. I like the language used. The author perfects the balancing act of using easy-to-follow language while utilizing a rather rich vocabulary. I learned a lot of new words like paroxysm, trellis, falsetto, astern, and equanimity. I also enjoyed the story, or stories, as most of the chapters told unique and engaging tales, which took me on an emotional rollercoaster. From Jack's hilarious man-child antics to the truly worrying events of the forty-ninth chapter to the heart-wrenching tragedies the family went through together, there was no dropping this book.
I also enjoyed the characters and their dynamic with each other. Annie and Jack share such a beautiful father-daughter bond, with both of them being incapable of being angry at each other for long, regardless of what happens. Margo's love for her family is truly admirable. It is on display in all her actions and words. I also appreciate the lessons the book passes. It brought to mind the importance of kindness, charity, and hard work. In essence, the book was truly lovely. It evoked feelings of nostalgia for my childhood which I enjoyed.
I found nothing to dislike in the book. I found no errors, as the book was exceptionally well edited. Therefore, I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. I found the book engaging and wholesome. I loved the characters and found their stories lovely. I was completely satisfied with the book, and as a result, I could not possibly rate it any lower. I recommend this book to lovers of fictional books detailing family life.
******
River Kids
View: on Bookshelves
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